Seal construction



Dec. 1,1931. D. FERRELL ET AL 1,334,531

SEAL CONSTRUCTION F'iled Aug. so, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1931. D.FERRELL ETAL 1,334,581

SEAL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. :0, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 van Patented Dec.1, 1931 UNITED srA'rEs ATENT OFFICE ILLINOIS DENT FEBRELL AND ARTHUR W.HELMHOIIIZ, OF EABRTSBUBG, ILLINOIg ASSIGKORS .IR) SAFETY MININGCOMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION 01! SEAL CONSTRUCTIONApplicatlonflled August 8051926. serlal llo. 132,472.

Thisinvention relates to .a new and improved seal construction and morearticularly to a metal seal adapted to withstand high pressures. theproduction and handling of liquefied gas and in other similar industriesit is necessary to handle these gases and liquids under very highpressures which reach several thousand pounds per square inch. Ordinarytypes of packing formed of fabric, rubber, asbestos and similarmaterials are incapable of holding gases and liquids under suchpressures, and, moreover, rapidly deteriorate in such use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seal constructionconsisting only of metal and adapted to withstand high pressures. 7

It is an'additional object to provide an eflicient all metal seal forcommon and high pressure pipe joints especially superior to existmgigints for carrying hot gases and liquids and 'gh pressure gases andliquids.

' It is also an ob ect to provide a seal con-, struction which may bemanufactured at relatively low cost, and which is simple in design andrequires no special tools for its production or use.

It is 'a further object to provide a seal which may be closed by arotary movement of certain of the parts without rotation of theinterfittin sealing elements.

' Other and urther objects will appear the description proceeds.

We have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of our invention inthe accompany-.

ing drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a form of con-, P

tainer adapted to hold gases or fluids under high pressures, its endsbeing sealed by ,our construction;

.Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through one end of Figure 1,-showing one form of construction;

Figure 3 is a' view similar to- Figure 2 showing a modified formofconstruction';..

"Figure 4 is a faceview of the knife edge rings of'Figure 3; g F 5 is afragmentary section showing a-modified form adapted for use withcylinder heads;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing a further modification adapted foruse as a pipe coupling; a

Figure a modified form of pipe coupling;

Figu e 8 is a fragmentary section showing a form of threaded pipecoupling; and

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 99 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings- Figure 1 shows a cylinder 11 havingreduced endportions .12 closed by the sleeves. 13 which are threaded inplace, as best shown in Figure 2. This cylinder is adapted to hold gasunder pressure and may be made from rolled or drawn steel orsimilarmaterial. The end of the sleeve 13 is formed with the notches 14 adaptedto receive ,a suitable wrench for screwing the sleeve into place andremoving it as desired. The sealin ring 15 is provided on its oppositefaces wit the hard metal knife edges 16 and 17. The edge 16 engages theend face of the cylinder 11,

7 is a fragmentary section showing the metal of which is softer thanthat of the knife edge. The sealing disc 18 is forced against the knifeedge 17 by the shoulder 19 on the sleeve 13. The disc 18 is formed ofmaterial softer than the knife edge 17.

In the form of construction shown in Figure 3, the cylinder 20, similarin form to the cylinder 11, is provided on its end with a pair ofcontinuous knife edges 21 and 22. As est shown in Figure 4, these knifeedges are not concentric but are so placed as to have varying distancesbetween them at different oints upon their circumference. The sealmgdisc 18 is forced against the knife edges 21 and 22by the shoul er 19 ofthe sleeve 13, these latter parts being identical with those shown inFigure 2.

-Another use of the construction is shown:

in Figure 5, in which a sealing ring 15, with knife edges 16 and 17,identical with that of Figure 2,, is used to seal the 'oint beinder head52, which are drawn together y bolts 26. In'Figure 6 the sealing ring 15is tween the end of the cylinder 51 an the c ltions 23 and 24 which aresecured together by bolts 25.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 7 and 9, the knife edges 27and 28 are .formed on pipe 29 and similar knife edges threaded on pipe36 and en ages the shoulder 38 of pipe 35. The knife e ges 39 and 40 maybe eccentrically related and the knife edges tion of Figure 3 reventsthis rotation.

' centrically place knife edges 21 and 22 both id t b la mem er d d td-t en 41 and 42 similar1y formed. The softer sealing ring 43 is clampedbetween the opposed knife edges. i

In the-form of construction shown in Figure 2, the seal is made byplacing the ring 15 against the end of the cylinder and then threadingon the sleeve 13 which carries loosely with it the disc 18 fittingagainst the shoulder 19. The knife edges, which are preferably ofhardened steel, bite into the cylinder end and disc and form a gastightmetal seal. It will be understood that the cross section of. theknife edges may be varied depending upon the metals. used, and also uponthe pressure which-must bewithstood. Less sharp knife edges will requlregreater power in sealing toforce them into the metal, ut when so sealedwill withstand greater pressures.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 3 and 4, the knife edges 21and 22 are of hardened steel which may be made by special treatment ofthe ends of. the cylinder 20, or may be made separately and welded uponthe cylinder end. With the form of construction shown in Figure 2, therotation of the sleeve 13 tends to rotate the sealing disc 18, due tothe frictional engagement of the shoulder 19. This movement of the dischas been found undesirable in securing a perfect seal at very highpressures; The construcbite into the disc 18 and prevent its rotation.

'The'seal, by these double knife edges so constructed, is therefore, themost efficient for high pressure use.

"In Figures 5 and 6 we have shown other uses of the sealing ring 1 5 andfurther uses will be obvious to those skilled in the art. In the sealingof cylinder heads-or pipe connections, as shown, the parts are not rotated but are drawn together directly by-the bolts". Consequently, thedouble eccentric rings are not normally required.

It is to be understood in connection with this invention that an unusualadvantage is "realized in that rotation is prevented be-.

tween the sealing means and the parts beand 36 are drawn tween which itis clamped, this being true ir- =respective of the form of our inventionas soft metal part adjacent thereto. It is obvious that this is true,whether the knife edges be on. opposite sides of the sealing. ring, asshown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, or whether they be both on the same member,as shown in Figures '3, 7, 8 and 9. The eccentrical rela tionship isclearly shown in Figure 9. This is particularly advantaeous when theparts between which the sealin ring is clamped are brought together b reative rotation, but it is likewise servicea 1e in applications wher,

the two parts are brought together ina straight line as by means ofboltsor other clamping means, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, in that itprevents subsequent rotation of the ring where there might be a tendencytoward sue rotation.

While we have shown certain preferred forms and uses of our invention'in the ac companying drawings, we contemplate such further changes andmodifications as come within the spirit and scope'of the appendedclaims.-

We claim? I 4 1. A seal joint comprising a pair of members adapted to bedrawn together by means tending to roduce relative rotation thereof andmeans or sealing the joint between said 'members comprising a knife edgesealing ring eccentric to the axis of said members.

.2. A seal joint comprising spaced members and an interposed sealingmember, means for drawing said' spaced members together tending toproduce relative rotation thereof and an eccentrically disposed knifeedge ring on one of" said members.

3. A seal 'oint comprising an open end tubular mem r, a sealing memberadapted to close the open end of said tubular mem ber, means havinrotative adjustment with said sealing member for drawing the two saidmembers together and aneccentrically disposed knife edge ring on one ofsaid members adapted to bite into the other said member. I

. 4. A seal 'oint comprising an open end tubular mem r, a seahng memberadapted to close the open end of said tubular member,

. means havin rotative adjustment with said bite into the'other saidmember,

being eccentric with respect to saidmembe'rs. 5. A seal joint comprisingan open end tubular member, ;a sealing member adapted to close the openend of said tubular member,

means havin rotative adjustment with said tubular mem r and adapted toengage said sealing member for drawing the two said members together anda plurality of knife edge rings on one of said members ada ted to biteinto the other said member, saidrmgs being eccentric with respect toeach other and to said members.

6. A seal joint comprising a tubular member having an open end, a discadapted to close said end, a sleeve threaded on said member and havingan inwardly extending flange adapted to engage and clamp said discagainst the end of said member, and an eccentric sealing ring on saidmember adapted to engage sald disc.

Signed at Harrisburg, Illinois, this 26th day of August, 1926.

DENT FERRELL. A. W. HELMIHOLTZ.

